


The End is Where I Begin

by glazedsun



Series: Stigmatized [6]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-02-10
Packaged: 2018-03-10 08:40:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3284033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glazedsun/pseuds/glazedsun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bobby's had his heart broken one time too many, but can he open himself to giving a new love a chance?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. sometimes your first scars don't ever fade away

**Author's Note:**

> this story runs pretty much parallel with the 'hawks fics in the series. eventually, they will connect, but for now i'm posting what i've already written!

The door slamming shut behind him didn't even register with Bobby. He couldn't focus on anything as he leaned back against the door of his condo, his whole body shaking. His chest heaved as he tried to control his breathing, tried to control the breakdown that he knew was inching it's way up. Bobby closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Closing his eyes was a bad idea, however. All he could see was the image that had caused this inability to stop shaking.

_After a long, hard practice, all Bobby wanted to do was crawl into bed with his lover. Over Christmas, Ryan had, somewhat reluctantly perhaps, agreed to take things a little more seriously with Bobby. Bobby had been so over the moon, he hadn't even noticed the hesitation. He wanted to spend as much time with Ryan as he could, and Ryan had never seemed to mind too much. Ryan could never seem to get enough sex, anyway. Bobby felt a spark of arousal shoot through him at that thought. They had a few days off, and Bobby was determined to take full advantage of that, especially in bed. He quickly pushed those thoughts away, however, and continued on his mission to find the older man._

_When he finally did find Ryan, he stopped short, mouth hanging open. Ryan and Corey were lingering in the showers, their naked bodies pressed against each other. Ryan's hand moved over the both of their erections, and Corey was doing his best to hold in the sounds that Bobby could just feel he wanted to let out. Until Corey met his eyes, that is._

_"Bobby," Corey gasped, causing Ryan's head to snap up from where it had been previously latched onto Corey's collarbone._

_"Ryan, I thought- I mean, we…" Bobby stuttered out, lisp thick, as he took a step back. "You swore it was just me."_

_It was Corey who reacted first. "You told me things were still casual between you two!" he said to Ryan, confusion evident in his voice. He pushed the center away from him, looking back and forth between Ryan and Bobby._

_"Bobby… Pears… I-" Ryan started, eyes wide._

_"Forget it." Bobby cut him off, not sure where he got the sudden courage from. "Fuck you. I hope he breaks it off with you, too." He glared at Ryan once more before turning away and fleeing._

How could he have been so stupid? Bobby growled under his breath, forcing himself to walk further into the condo. Here he'd been ready to fall in love with the man, and… had Ryan ever really cared? He swallowed thickly, feeling himself suddenly choked up and overwhelmed with emotion. Immediately, he went for a bottle of wine, but hesitated. No, wine wouldn't do. He needed something stronger. He grabbed a different bottle, taking a long gulp. He grimaced as the alcohol burned slightly, but was grateful for that burn. He picked up his guitar on the way to the couch, sitting down. He pulled the guitar into his lap, but just stared ahead of him.

He would have done anything for Getzy. Absolutely anything. And the man couldn't even be faithful to him for three weeks. Bobby bowed his head, feeling tears burn at his eyes. Tears of shame, tears of sadness, tears of regret. Tears he didn't want, but couldn't avoid. It only took one more long drink before the tears overwhelmed him, and he shamefully cried over his silent guitar.

-

It wasn't until the Olympics that Bobby's head began to truly clear from the aftermath of it all. The tears had ended that night, but the emotions hadn't. It still hurt. While he hadn't forgiven Ryan, he was slowly getting to a place where he could get along with Ryan again. He had no choice; they were teammates and had once been good friends. As much as it pained him to admit, Bobby did miss that. But he couldn't go back to that level yet. He needed to heal first, to get to that place where he could forgive Ryan. It was a long way off, but he was getting better.

Along the way, one of Bobby's biggest sources of comfort was the most surprising one. While Corey never actually said much, he was there. If he noticed that Bobby was down, he was often the first one to just offer a comforting touch, whether it be a pat on the shoulder or an actual hug. There were never any words of comfort, never any hollow phrases that Bobby did not want to hear. Just the touch, and that was enough for Bobby. A touch, no matter how simple, could say more than any amount of words ever could.

By the time the Olympics rolled around, Bobby was beginning to feel like himself again. The opportunity to represent his country in Canada was a huge honor, and he was able to focus on that. He was surrounded by an entirely new team. It a team full of guys that used to be rivals, but for those couple of weeks, were the ones he relied on. It got him swept up in what was going on, so much so that he was able to forget what Ryan had done. He thought of it from time to time, whenever he saw Ryan in passing, but for the most part, it wasn't on his mind. There was something else on his mind, though.

"Got a crush or something?" Ryan Miller asked, startling Bobby out of his thoughts. He had been walking with Miller, who wanted to take some pictures, when he spotted Jonas walking past. Apparently, he'd stared at the Swiss goalie for a few seconds too long.

"On Hillsy? Please." Bobby rolled his eyes, affording Jonas one more, quick, look before walking in the opposite direction and just hoping Miller would follow him.

Miller shrugged, smirking at the younger forward. "You keep telling yourself that, kid. I know that look."

Bobby glanced over at Ryan, raising his eyebrow. "Do I even want to know what look you are talking about?"

"I believe it's called the oh _he's so dreamy_ look," Ryan said, sounding completely serious despite the glint of mischief in his eyes.

Bobby glared at Ryan, shaking his head. "Thank you for reminding me why I never hang out with goalies. You're weird fuckers. Seeing things and crap." It didn't occur to him that his words neither confirmed nor denied Ryan's accusations. He did catch the look in the goalie's eyes, however. It was a look that said he was taking this fact and filing it away, perhaps for future use. Bobby cursed under his breath, but Ryan spoke up before Bobby could change his words.

"Like I said, keep telling yourself that," Ryan repeated, patting Bobby on the back before walking over a few steps to start snapping some pictures. Bobby stood there in shock for a few seconds before muttering curses under his breath and shoving his hands in his pockets, waiting for the other man to finish so they could continue on their way back to their rooms. He looked over his shoulder in the direction Jonas had walked off in, frowning. Had he been staring? Bobby didn't think so, or if he was… surely it couldn't have actually meant anything. Jonas was his friend. That was it. He nodded to himself, convincing himself of just that, and turned his attention back to where Ryan was fascinated by a tree. Bobby rolled his eyes. Goalies.

-

Something about those weeks in Vancouver changed things. Bobby couldn't explain it.

Winning the silver medal had been bittersweet. All he played for, all they wanted, was a gold medal. And God, but they had come so close. Just when they thought it was over, they fought even harder, and almost had it. Almost. Tied it up to the end, but no. Canada managed to pull it off. He, and the rest of the team, were devastated. In time, maybe he would realize that silver was nothing to be upset about. But it wasn't gold. It wasn't what they had gone to Vancouver for. He was proud of his team, though, proud of everything they had accomplished to get as far as they did. It was an experience he'd never forget, with a medal he would truly cherish. It just _had_ to be Canada, though, didn't it?

Things around the locker room were just different when his normal team was back together. The time away from Ryan, except when they were facing each other on the ice, had given Bobby what he needed. The forgiveness was still not quite there, but he was able to talk to Ryan again. They were able to joke around together, descend into childlike taunting that resulted in Bobby earning a new nickname: Silver. For as much as he hated the nickname, he found he did actually enjoy what it signified. Yes, Ryan cheated on him and lied to him. No, he might never forgive him. But he could move on. He didn't have to close Ryan out of his life for good. They weren't meant to be lovers, but Bobby decided that he was okay with them being friends.

As the season progressed, he also became closer with Jonas. There was no specific effort, it just sort of… happened. Bobby lingered after practice to talk with the other man, and Jonas started bringing him leftovers when he cooked more food than he could eat alone. The after practice talks turned into lunch, which quickly became something of a ritual. There were days they could talk for hours, and days that went by with little but a comfortable silence. It was different, but Bobby actually enjoyed it. They had never really spent much time together; as a rule, goalies seemed to keep to themselves. Bobby became especially grateful for the talks as the realization that they wouldn't make the playoffs sunk in. When they did talk about hockey, it was stories from the past, never about the current season and never, ever about the fact that their season would shortly be over. It was a good distraction, a much needed distraction.

Even as the lunches became more frequent, though, and the talks longer, Bobby never thought back to the conversation that he'd had with Miller back in Vancouver.

-

"You look lost."

Startled, Bobby looked up and stared at the young man who had come to stay with during the off-season. He and Luca were sitting on his couch, taking a break from a long video game session. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't know," Luca shrugged. "You just look… like you're not all here. Like," he paused, trying to find the exact words he was looking for. "Like you're thinking of something else."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, man," Bobby defended himself, shooting his younger friend another confused look before turning back to the television, almost immediately spacing out without intending to.

"That's what I mean!" Luca gestured wildly, and Bobby found himself having to lean away so he didn't get hit. He rolled his eyes and offered a shrug, but didn't say anything. Luca frowned, tilting his head ever so slightly to the side. He stared at Bobby for a few long moments, and the searching, intense look unnerved Bobby. It got to the point he couldn't ignore it, so he turned back to Luca. "You miss someone, no?"

Bobby tried his hardest to hide his surprise at Luca's observation. He shook his head, responding with a lie, "I'm just anxious about sorting out a contract, that's all." No, a _half_ -lie. The terms of his contract were supposed to be figured out by July 1, but that day was fast approaching with no signs of coming to any kind of conclusion. It was frustrating. He could tell, though, by the way that Luca was looking at him, that his friend didn't fully believe him. "I'm getting in the shower," Bobby announced, standing up quickly. Too quickly to be anything but defensive. "Go ahead and order some pizza or Chinese for dinner."

Luca gave him a look, but didn't protest and got up to go to the kitchen. Bobby heaved out a soft sigh of relief before walking to his bathroom. He turned on the water, slowly undressing before standing under the hot water. Bobby leaned his head forward, hands on the shower wall in front of him. Drops fell from some of the curls on his head as he thought back to what Luca had said.

As much as it pained him to admit, Luca had been right. There was someone he was missing, more than he should have. When their season had ended, everyone had gone their separate ways. Some had taken vacations, some just went home. Bobby had gone home for a couple weeks, but came right back to Anaheim in hopes of working out his contract. Jonas had given up the place he'd been renting for the summer beach crowd, and went back to Davos for the summer. Back to his cars, his family. Bobby ran a hand through his wet hair, a hint of a smile on his face as he pictured Jonas, covered in grease from spending a day fixing up one of his latest projects.

At first, their friendship had been just that. Their lunch rituals were between friends, even as they got closer it was between friends. But as the season drew to a close, Bobby began to wonder. He began to want. He wanted Jonas' arms around him, lips on his. Lips, trailing down to his neck, teasing. His breathing becoming more shallow as Jonas sucked on his skin, and Bobby tangling his fingers into that mess of curls. Kisses, getting lower and lower until Jonas was on his knees, those big blue eyes looking up at him….

"You better not be jerking off in there," came Luca's voice loudly from the other side of the bathroom door. It startled Bobby out of his fantasy, and he quickly dropped his hand from where it had wrapped around his hardening cock. "I want to shower before we have to go pick up the food!"

Curse Luca and his refusal to ever use his shower at the same time Bobby was showering. "Don't get your panties in a bunch, I'll be done soon!" Bobby yelled back, hoping that the hitch in his voice didn't make it obvious just what he had been about to do.

"I'm not…" Luca trailed off, and Bobby could just see the knotted up, confused, expression on the young Swiss player's forehead. "Okay, soon!" He settled on before leaving Bobby in peace. Bobby shook his head, then quickly went about finishing up his shower… fantasies saved for a later moment.

-

Days turned into weeks, and there was still no progress for Bobby. There were nights, nights when he was particularly frustrated, that he would wonder if he'd even get to play once the season began. It was a silly fear. Deep down, Bobby knew that. Some kind of agreement would be reached, no matter what compromises had to be made. The unknown was bothering him, however. Still, he put on a brave face, determined to show neither the worry nor the frustration. A little actor, that was all he ever seemed to be. So many parts of his life had involved being someone else, and there were times that Bobby wasn't even sure who he was.

Everything was thrown out the window once he stepped onto the ice, though. _Hockey_ was who he was. No matter what name, what age, what story he was telling, he was always _hockey_. There was no pretending in hockey; you either were, or you weren't. The past, the present, even the future… none of it mattered if it was off the ice. Bobby lived for those moments. Those were the moments he thought he missed most during the off-season, especially a long off-season when he had so much on his mind.

He was grateful when he could take to the ice, even if it was just drills. Something was better than nothing, and it took his mind off everything. He'd escaped to their practice rink that morning, turning down Luca's offer of company. Bobby needed some alone time that morning, to just skate and clear his mind. His impromptu practice had started out slow and almost lazy, but soon picked up until the point that he knew he was working himself too hard. He'd be sore the next day, but he didn't care. He was able to shut his mind off, and so he kept going.

"So this is where you are," a familiar voice called out, breaking Bobby's concentration. He lost an edge, falling into an undignified heap only inches in front of the boards. "Sorry," Jonas said sheepishly as he carefully walked out onto the ice, offering Bobby a hand. "You okay?"

"Fine," Bobby grunted, grabbing Jonas' hand so that he could stand up. He couldn't keep the half-smirk from his face as Jonas stumbled slightly in his effort to help Bobby up. That's what he got, interrupting him. "How the hell did you find me anyway, Hillsy?" he asked once he was upright again, skating toward the entrance to the ice.

"Luca told me where you were," Jonas shrugged, trailing behind him.

Bobby groaned. "I'm gonna kill him," he muttered as he leaned against the boards, grabbing his bottle of Gatorade and taking a long drink.

Jonas had the nerve to smile at that, which made the frown on Bobby's face grow. "He also told me you'd probably say that. He wasn't going to tell me, but said you've been off so maybe I could talk to you." Jonas paused, looking at Bobby with an expression that both confused him and made him uncomfortable. "You aren't going to Getzy's wedding?" the older man asked softly, his tone slightly accusing.

Bobby nearly spit out his Gatorade. He hadn't expected that question. The last thing he'd wanted to think about was the fact that Ryan was marrying his long-time on-again, off-again girlfriend. It had been one of the things that had been bringing him down in the past few weeks, and he'd just finally managed to get it out of his head when Jonas brought it right back to the surface. He pushed the mild panic _what the hell kind of excuse can I come up with this time_ away and kept a nonchalant expression on his face, his words as level as he could make them. "I've got a lot of shit to do here."

Jonas shot Bobby a look of disbelief. "You can't put your training on hold for a few days? And isn't your agent handling most of the contract stuff right now, anyway?"

Damn it. Bobby had hoped that the excuse would be enough for Jonas, but of course Jonas seemed to see right through him. It must be a Swiss thing, he figured, thinking back to the "conversation" he'd had with Luca a couple weeks prior. "No, I can't. I have other things to do, and I have to keep an eye on Sbees."

"Sbees is a big boy," Jonas snorted. "I think he can handle himself for two days."

"And why are you not going?" Bobby retorted, trying to change the subject from himself.

"I've never been as close with Getzy as you have, and I need to find a place to live as soon as possible." It was a reasonable enough excuse, which caused Bobby to frown slightly. Before he could respond, however, Jonas added in a question that made Bobby feel like he'd been punched in the gut. "Does it have anything to do with why you two weren't getting along before the Olympics?" Even though he'd tried to hide his surprise, he could tell by Jonas's expression that he hadn't done enough. "It does, doesn't it?"

"None of your business," Bobby all but hissed, standing up straight. His posture was defensive, ready to strike if he needed to.

"What happened?" Jonas asked, his voice gentle. It was that gentle tone that sent Bobby over the edge. He didn't want to be pitied.

"I told you, none of your business," Bobby snapped, turning and heading off to go shower and change.

In his haste to get away from the ice, Bobby missed Jonas's whispered words. "He broke your heart, didn't he?" He let out a sad sigh, then followed Bobby into the locker room, offering up apology after apology. He was persistent, not letting up until Bobby reluctantly agreed to go out to lunch with him, just like old times.

As lunch went on, and it became apparent that Jonas wasn't going to pester him any further about Ryan, Bobby began to relax. Instead, Jonas got into a ramble about the cars he had been working on over the summer. He had sold one of the other ones that he had fixed up, he explained, and started a new project. As he launched into an explanation, his eyes shining with excitement and that bright, ever-present, grin on his face, Bobby couldn't help but smile. His enthusiasm was infectious, even if it was something Bobby wasn't all that interested in.

He did wonder, briefly, if there was anything that Jonas really hung on to. He always rented a place only for the duration of the season, and apparently sold most of the cars that he worked on. Was it the same with relationships? He'd never really seen Jonas with anyone, but then… he'd never really had a reason to pay attention. And why did he care so much now? He was attracted to Jonas, yes, but wanting to sleep with the man didn't mean it had to come with a relationship. No, a relationship was the last thing he wanted, Bobby told himself.

Bobby was brought out of his thoughts when Jonas started telling a story that caused Bobby to burst out into laughter. He still planned on killing Luca… but he might have to thank him, after.


	2. now I'm alive and the ghosts are gone

Summer began to dwindle down, and with that came the approach of training camp. More and more of his teammates, old and new, began to arrive in Anaheim. Bobby felt himself swept up in the eager anticipation. It was a new season, a new beginning. A new team, an _improved_ team, even. As he caught up with old friends, and met new ones as camp started, Bobby still found himself spending most of his time with Jonas. In the weeks since Jonas had arrived back in California, and the start of training camp, Bobby decided that he wanted Jonas. He was going to get the older man in his bed, somehow. 

The flirting started out innocently enough. Lingering touches, the occasional surprise compliment. When he began to get some reaction from Jonas, Bobby stepped it up some. He went from flirting to _seducing_. Touches lasted even longer. Eyes met up as Bobby left the showers, body dripping with water and face flushed from training and the hot shower. Teeth dragged his full lower lip into his mouth, worrying at it until he caught Jonas staring at his mouth. It wasn't long until Bobby could sense that he had Jonas in the palm of his hand, with barely even needing to say a word. He just needed the right moment to make his move.

In the end, however, it was Jonas who got to make the first move. 

Bobby and the Ducks were finally able to come to terms on a contract, and announce it. He was ecstatic, relieved, thankful, any number of emotions one could conjure. It was done, he was staying a Duck for another five years. He was thankful to the organization that had first drafted him, been understanding with him as he'd been open with them. Bobby loved being a part of the team. 

It seemed that Jonas was almost as happy about the contract as Bobby himself. As soon as Bobby was finished addressing the media post-practice, the goalie cornered him. He pushed Bobby against the wall once they were out of sight, pressing his body against the younger man's. "Congratulations," he breathed in Bobby's ear, accent thick as he rolled his hips forward. 

"Jonas…. what…" Bobby tried to gasp out, only to let out a soft hiss when Jonas grazed his teeth along the tight skin of Bobby's neck. 

"Shh," Jonas murmured, lifting his head up so he could press his lips against Bobby's, those lips he had been dreaming about. The kiss was hungry right from the start, and as his lips parted for the goalie's tongue, Bobby could taste, could feel, that Jonas had wanted this. Wanted this maybe as long as Bobby had, if not longer. 

"Not here," Bobby groaned out as he felt Jonas' fingers slip under the hem of his t-shirt, just barely brushing over his skin. "My place."

Jonas shook his head. "Luca will be there. Come, I'll show you mine." All Bobby could do was nod and let out a hoarse sound as Jonas sucked at his lower lip. They reluctantly pulled apart, each doing his best to compose himself so that they could make the walk to their cars. 

The house was no surprise at all to Bobby when he pulled into the driveway behind Jonas. It was right on the beach, with a view that Bobby would have been impressed with were there not more urgent issues at hand. He was grateful it was a short drive, and that they had driven separately. All he could think about was the way Jonas' lips had felt on his, how their bodies had pressed together. His body shook with anticipation, and he took a deep breath before getting out of the car. When he got inside, Jonas was already waiting for him, waiting to shove Bobby back against the front door.

Bobby tried to speak, but it came out as jumbled nonsense as their lips found each other. As they kissed, heavy and hungry, hands began to roam. Months of pent-up want and desire were able to be released, and it felt so good.

"I have wanted you for so long, Bobby Ryan," Jonas whispered when they pulled apart, desperate for oxygen. "You are so fucking pretty." Bobby might have been offended by the use of the word _pretty_ , if it weren't accompanied by Jonas brushing his thumb over Bobby's lips and pressing their hips tighter together. Bobby met Jonas' eyes, kissing the thumb before his tongue swirled around it. He dragged Jonas' thumb into his mouth, kissing and sucking at it and watching with fascination as Jonas' eyes grew darker, more narrow. Jonas stared at his thumb as it slid in and out of the younger man's mouth, slick with spit. Bobby, in turn, watched Jonas' expression, the way that his eyes darkened still and his face became flushed. 

"You're the pretty one," Bobby murmured after Jonas let his thumb fall from his mouth. He reached up, his hand tangling into the blonde curls that had haunted his dreams and fantasies. He tugged until he had Jonas moaning, and the sound caused Bobby's knees to go weak for a moment. His eyes met the goalie's, and he felt a shock go through his system at the way that Jonas was looking at him. It was intense. No one had ever looked at him in that way before, not even Ryan. 

Jonas was the first to break the stare, leaning forward and pressing his lips to Bobby's neck. Bobby sighed softly as he planted kisses over his skin. He kissed, sucked, licked, even bit at the skin. It drove Bobby absolutely wild, and they had barely even begun. There would be marks in the morning, but he found that he didn't care. Let the guys figure out that there was someone in his life… at least for one day.

He was brought from his thoughts when Jonas started tugging at his shirt, trying to get it off. Bobby reluctantly let go of handfuls of blonde curls, lifting his arms to help Jonas in his quest. He groaned as Jonas' lips traveled further down, teasing him, driving him wild. Jonas continued to tease him for a few moments before dropping smoothly to his knees in one fluid motion. Bobby knew that Jonas had quick reflexes on the ice, but oh. He'd never expected it to look so positively _sinful_. 

Bobby's mouth dried up almost immediately when Jonas nuzzled his face against his crotch, his head leaning back against the door. He had been fantasizing about this moment for months, and it was all happening right in front of him. He swallowed the lump in his throat as the older man worked at his zipper, pushing his jeans and boxers down over his hips. It wasn't until Bobby felt Jonas press a light kiss to the tip of his erection that he was able to look down. Two pairs of blue eyes met, a matching look of desire in each. Shudders went down Bobby's spine, and he couldn't help but let out a soft sigh as Jonas licked along the vein. Finally, Jonas took him into his mouth. 

"Oh," Bobby whispered, fingers finding their way back into the other man's hair. He threaded his fingers through Jonas' hair as he watched his dick disappear into the other man's mouth. It was a sight that was a million times better in reality than it had been, even in his head. Soft moans fell from his lips even as he did his best to try and keep quiet.

He did let out a groan, however, when Jonas pulled off of him completely. "Don't hold back," he whispered, accent thicker than usual. "I want to hear every sound you make." Before Bobby could even respond, Jonas took him back in his throat, taking him in as far as he could.

"Fuck," Bobby gasped, fingers grasping at curls that he suddenly had trouble gripping. He watched with wide eyes as Jonas hollowed out his cheeks, taking even more of Bobby's erection into his throat until there was no more he could. Jonas paused before pulling back, working on finding a smooth tempo. He worked his mouth as smoothly as he worked on the ice, and Bobby hoped desperately that he wound find out at some point that day if Jonas would move as smooth and intense when fucking Bobby. He let out a low moan as he pictured it, which only encouraged the other man on.

It didn't last nearly as long as Bobby hoped. Jonas was no rookie at the task of giving a blowjob, and the way that he worked his tongue and mouth was driving Bobby absolutely insane. His moans became more desperate, trailing off into short gasps. He cried out Jonas' name as he came, body shaking as he watched Jonas swallow everything he had to offer. Bobby leaned back against the door, eyes wide and blown-out, an incredibly sated look on his face as he tried to get his breathing back to normal.

Jonas rocked back onto his knees for a moment, licking his swollen lips as he stared up at the young man. Finally, he stood up. "I'm glad you feel good," he whispered into his new lover's ear, "but I need to know what you can do with those beautiful lips of yours." He arched his hips forward, pressing his already leaking dick against Bobby's hip. Jonas waited for the smirk to come to Bobby's lips before taking his hand and leading him down the hall to his bedroom.

Bobby had never been so happy to have signed a contract.

-

The next day, Bobby walked tall into practice. He was nearly beaming as he changed, knowing that his body was covered in marks. He had woken up that morning in a bed that was not his own, limbs tangled with his goalie's long ones. There weren't many words, just that gentle smile that made Bobby's heart race a little. Bobby had stayed for a cup of coffee before heading home, ignoring the looks that he got from Luca when he walked in, wearing the same clothes he'd been wearing the previous afternoon. 

As far as he knew, what had happened with Jonas _over and over again_ was just a one day thing. He'd like otherwise, but wasn't sure. He met the goaltender's eyes, feeling his face redden slightly when Jonas' eyes looked down at the large bruise on his neck then looked back up at him. He tried not to laugh at the smirk on Jonas' face, not wanting to alert the others to the silent conversation they were having. His teammates seeing the marks on his body was one thing, but he wasn't sure he wanted them to know who those marks were from. Then again…

Bobby chanced a glance over Jonas' body as he turned his back to the room, admiring his own handiwork. The hints of bruises were beginning to form in a few places on the goalie's back from where Bobby had clung to him while Jonas fucked him harder than Bobby had ever been fucked in his life. There were even a few shallow scratches on his shoulder blades, where Bobby had managed to dig his blunt nails into the skin just enough. Reluctantly, Bobby turned his attention back to getting ready for practice. There was no way, he decided, that he was going to let the previous night be a one-off. He wanted more.

-

By the time pre-season rolled around, Bobby and Jonas had hooked up a few more times. As the season began, those hook-ups became more frequent. At least, they did until it became obvious just how poor of a start to the season they were having. The team just couldn't seem to get it together in front of Jonas, who played his heart out every night and, more often than not, was the one who stole them the games that they did actually win. Bobby and Jonas kept their focus on finding some sort of consistency with the team, but Bobby still found himself in Jonas' bed after a tough loss or a triumphant win. They did their best to be discreet about it, but Bobby knew at least a few of his teammates were suspicious. Generally speaking, they tried to stay away from sleeping together while on the road, but there were nights that they couldn't help it. Those were the nights that Bobby was most worried about his team figuring out what was going on. George was a smart man, he had to have put two and two together after the nights that Bobby disappeared from the room they shared and didn't return until after George was already asleep… if he didn't fall asleep curled up with Jonas, that is. It had happened a couple of times, and Bobby always left the room in a panic, hoping he wouldn't get an earful from Georgie. He never did, though. An occasional knowing look was the most he got from the other man. 

Slowly but surely, the team began to figure things out. November started off with an exhilarating win streak that had everyone hoping they'd finally begun to figure things out. There were still many things that needed to be worked out, but maybe, just maybe, they were finding their groove. Unfortunately, that didn't prove to be true. One loss led to another, led to another, and before they knew it, the Ducks found themselves in Phoenix, down by two goals, and only two periods away from their eighth loss in a row. Something had to happen if they wanted to get out of the slump. 

Did something ever happen. A sudden explosion of offense took over a team that was determined not to lose _again_. Not only was there an explosion of offense amongst the team, but one person in particular lit up the scoreboard. It was Bobby's second career hat trick, and he was flying high, celebrating with the team after the third goal.

It was at the end of the game, however, that Bobby truly felt the joy of his accomplishment. He skated over to congratulate Jonas on the win, leaning in to speak to him. Before he could get a word in, however, Jonas whispered in his ear, his voice a tone that sent shivers down Bobby's spine. "I am yours tonight. Anything you want. Even fucking me." 

Bobby was thankful that he was turned toward Jonas, so it was not obvious the way that his eyes widened and his knees nearly gave out. Up to that point, he had never topped Jonas, though he had been dreaming of it. "We can't get back to the hotel fast enough," Bobby finally murmured when he could find his voice. Jonas smirked at his lover before skating off, not without a tap on the ass. Bobby chewed on his lower lip as he watched Jonas skate away, before he was swept up into another hug and they all made their way off into the dressing room.

The next game, Jonas shut out the Kings, earning a reward of his own.

-

Bobby was convinced that he and Jonas were nothing more than friends. Friends who enjoyed sleeping together, yes, but just friends. He had done a damn good job of convincing himself of that until he found himself standing on Jonas' porch, looking out at the ocean. Jonas stood next to him, and in front of each of them was an easel that the goalie had borrowed from when Bobby and Ryan had shot the skit for the NHL awards. They were both painting, alternating between comfortable silence and joking around. 

For about ten minutes, Bobby just found himself lost in thought as he worked diligently at the crude painting in front of him. He'd been amused when Jonas had brought up the idea, claiming that he wanted his own Bobby Ryan masterpiece in his home, now that he'd actually made the decision to purchase one instead of just renting. Bobby hadn't thought anything of it; if anything, he had thought that Jonas was just mocking him. Seeing Jonas at that moment, though, glasses perched precariously on his nose and a look of concentration on his face, he wondered. Wondered where their friendship stood, and if Jonas would ever want anything more from him. 

He shook his head, not wanting his mind to go down that road. Instead, he paused long enough to take a sip of his red wine. Bobby went back to losing himself in his painting. Another few minutes went by with his mind blissfully blank, until he felt something on his nose. He crossed his eyes to look at the end of it, noticing the green smudge that was there. He slowly turned to his companion, whose face was turning red from the effort he was putting into holding back the laughter. 

"Very funny," Bobby said in as much of a monotone voice as he could manage. It was difficult with the way that Jonas was struggling. 

The other man finally gave into his giggles. "But you look so good in green," he managed to get out through his laughter.

"Then maybe I'll request a trade to Dallas. Bet their goalies won't get paint all over me," Bobby raised an eyebrow at Jonas, who snorted.

"That is what you think. Just wait until I tell them how much you enjoy it. Secret underground world of goalies, you know." He nodded like he was completely serious about it. 

Bobby stared at Jonas for a few seconds, before letting out a huff of laughter and shaking his head. "You are ridiculous." He picked his brush back up, dipping it in the blue paint, and reached over to draw a line under Jonas' eye. "Blue's a good color for you, maybe we should have given you to the Leafs instead of Giggy."

"At least I'd be loved there," Jonas retorted, glaring at Bobby. He dipped his own brush in the paint, going in for a kill of his own: right on Bobby's forehead. 

"Oh no you didn't," Bobby snorted in laughter, going after Jonas, who tried to use his goalie reflexes to his benefit and get out of the way. He managed to land some, finally, only to have Jonas get him back. They continued their little game until the brushes were dropped and they were wrestling on the porch, fighting for control. 

Eventually, Jonas caved. "Okay, okay, stop or I'm gonna pee!" He gasped through his laughter, chest heaving as he threw his arms up in surrender. Bobby relented, lifting himself up on his elbows as he laid over Jonas, shaking with laughter. The smile on his face didn't fade even as their laughter did, and as their eyes met. He did feel almost shy as Jonas lifted his hand, running it through Bobby's hair. Bobby chewed on his lower lip, looking away even as Jonas pulled his head down, meeting him halfway. Their lips met in a soft kiss. It only lasted half a second, but Bobby felt like his heart was going to stop. It was something he hadn't felt in a long time. He found himself still unable to meet the other man's eyes as Jonas moved his hand to cup Bobby's cheek. Bobby wasn't sure how to take the way that Jonas was currently looking at him. They remained in silence for a few seconds, Jonas gently rubbing his thumb along Bobby's jaw. "Look at me," Jonas finally whispered. Bobby took a deep breath before looking down at the man that he'd been sleeping with for a few months. "What do you say we clean up and go get some dinner?" the older man asked, even though Bobby could tell he wanted to say something else. The younger man's heart was racing, however, and he couldn't bring himself to ask what Jonas really wanted to say. Instead, he just nodded, sitting up so that he was straddling Jonas. He gave the other man one of his crooked smiles before climbing back onto his feet and offering Jonas a hand to help him up.

It felt like no time at all had passed when Bobby found himself back in his own condo, leaning back against the door. He closed his eyes, sighing. Painting that afternoon and dinner in the evening with Jonas… he couldn't even try and convince himself it was anything but a date. An honest-to-God date. _Fuck_ , he thought to himself. He couldn’t remember the last time he'd been on a date. 

"You're home early." Luca's voice startled Bobby from his thoughts. He opened his eyes and took a deep breath. Bobby walked through the entrance to find his housemate. 

"Just went to dinner," Bobby shrugged, falling back into his favorite arm chair. He raised an eyebrow at the way that Luca was curled up on the couch with Cam, but didn't say anything. The presence of the young rookie had become a near constant since Luca had been called back up to the Ducks, staying with Bobby once again. Bobby found he couldn't even be shocked at this new development in their relationship. Cuddling was one thing, but the way that their faces were flushed and clothes were rumpled gave away what they had been doing before Bobby walked in.

"Aw, date night with Hillsy?" Luca sing-songed, wiggling his eyebrow at Bobby.

Bobby narrowed his eyes. "I am not dating Jonas." He glared at Luca before turning to see what was on TV. 

"That's not what I hear," Luca continued to press, lifting his hand to play with Cam's hair. Bobby turned back to face them just in time to catch the way that Cam leaned back into the touch. It reminded him so much of the way that Jonas would always curl back into his touch, whether it was a hug on the ice or the way that Bobby would run his hands through those blonde curls after they came down from their blissed-out, post-orgasm high. God, he loved it. He was so far gone.

"What the hell did you hear?" Bobby asked, frowning. He wasn't exactly expecting people to know about him and Jonas. In the months since they had started sleeping together, Jonas and Bobby had tried to keep the fact that they were sleeping together under wraps. As far as he knew, no one actually knew about it except Getzy, who had given him a stern, captainly "don't break the goalie" speech. Bobby, of course, had denied everything, but Ryan knew him. 

Luca shrugged, continuing to play with Cam's hair. "Everyone knows." When he saw the panicked look on Bobby's face, the younger man quickly added, "Well, everyone suspects. I only know what Jonas has told me." Bobby raised an eyebrow, hoping that Luca would explain further. He had no idea Jonas had told anyone. "He's never said anything specific or used your name but… I think he forgets sometimes that I live with you." Bobby nodded slowly, trying to figure out what Jonas could possibly have said to Luca. "He wants you," Luca shrugged in explanation, which made Bobby's brow furrow in confusion.

"We are already sleeping together," he said, figuring at that point there was no hiding it from the two kids. 

"That's not what he means," Cam piped up, speaking for the first time since Bobby had walked in. "He wants what we have," he finished. To further explain his point, he leaned up, pressing a kiss to the bottom of Luca's jaw. Luca looked down at Cam with a bright smile on his face, and Bobby was taken aback by how obvious their feelings for each other were. 

Bobby crossed his arms behind his head, leaning back with a strained sigh. "I see."

The two defensemen pulled their gazes away from each other to give Bobby a confused look. "What are you hesitating about, anyway?" Luca pressed. 

Bobby swallowed. The last thing he wanted at that moment was to explain his love life to an 18 and 19 year old. It was complicated, personal, and, well, his own life. "I'm fine with the way things are," he shrugged, though deep down he knew those words were a lie. 

Cam gave him a look saying that he didn't believe Bobby, while Luca actually spoke up. "Then you should tell him that instead of giving him the hope that what you have could be anything more."

"I didn't realize I'd given him that hope," Bobby protested, his arms crossing in front of his chest, suddenly defensive.

Luca rolled his eyes. "Going out to dinner with him? Spending all your time together? Everyone has seen the way you two can't stop touching and hugging. Why the hell do you think they've started to figure out you two are fucking?" 

"I…" Bobby tried to protest, but sighed. As much as he hated to admit it, Luca had a point. Those were exactly the things he had tried to convince himself held no meaning. "It's just complicated, okay," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I haven't had a great track record with relationships," he admitted against his better judgment. "It's easier to just have sex."

"So, let me get this straight," Luca said slowly, sitting up and pulling Cam with him. "You think what your parents have is healthy, but you've been hurt so you aren't giving Hillsy a chance?" 

Immediately, Bobby stiffened. The look on his face fluctuated between hurt, angry, and defensive. "That is not fair at all," Bobby said, his voice low and colder than he'd expected. Colder, he thought, than it had been since he'd walked in on Corey and Ryan. Talking about his parents, and his childhood, wasn't always something that bothered him. It had never been something he enjoyed talking about, but people bringing it up had never made him this, well, angry. What his parents had, however, and what they had been through, was on a totally different level than the guys who had cheated on him in his past. "It's two totally different things."

"How?" Cam asked, shushing Luca before he wound up angering Bobby even further.

"It just is," Bobby snapped. "My parents love each other." He glared at Luca, daring him to say anything else about them. Luca remained silent. Bobby stood up, walking briskly in the direction of his bedroom. He turned back to the room the two young men were sitting in, and said, "I'm never good enough to be anyone's number one." He turned around before he could catch their reaction, walking the rest of the way to his bedroom and closing the door behind him. He leaned back against the door once again, but this time he was shaking with how upset he was instead of unable to keep the smile off his face. What a shitty end to what had been a perfect day. 

-

"Is it true?" Bobby asked from his position sitting on Jonas' couch, a few days after his conversation with the rookies. He watched as Jonas sat in front of his fireplace, working on getting a fire started.

"Is what true?" Jonas asked, looking back to give the other man a confused look before turning his attention back to the fire. Once he was satisfied with the fire, he stood up and walked over to the couch. Jonas sat down, pouring each of them a glass of Bobby's favorite red wine. While Jonas had always had some wine in his home, he'd only started keeping this brand about a month ago. Bobby hadn't thought anything of it at the time, but….

Shit. They were dating. How did it take Bobby so long to figure that out? Jonas kept his favorite wine here. Bobby kept Jonas' favorite coffee at his place, and Jonas even had his own mug over there. The signs had been there all along, and he'd completely missed them. No, he thought, that wasn't quite right. He'd known that the signs were there, but he'd refused to let himself really notice them. He'd been too scared. Bobby opened his mouth, then closed it. He'd planned on asking a different question entirely, but found himself blurting out, "We're dating, aren't we?"

In response, Jonas just smiled. He leaned over to press a kiss to Bobby's temple. Bobby closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Oh God. It had just crept up on him, but was he even ready? Could he deal with his heart being broken again? He felt his heart begin to race in a slight panic. Jonas, sensing Bobby's panic, reached up and ran his fingers through Bobby's hair. "What's wrong, _chungel_?"

"What did you call me?" Bobby asked, already relaxing thanks to Jonas' touch.

Jonas smiled sheepishly, responding, "Uh… rabbit." 

Bobby stared at Jonas for a second before letting out a short giggle. It was so ridiculous, so random, so cheesy, that he couldn't help but… well, love it. No one had ever had a pet name for him before. "You're a nut," Bobby laughed softly, shaking his head. 

"But are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Jonas pressed. 

Bobby sighed, leaning into Jonas and taking a long sip of wine. "Nothing, I just…" he trailed off, shaking his head and chewing on his lip.

"You just, what?" Jonas asked gently, a worried look now on his face, which made Bobby's heart clench. Jonas always had a smile on his face, seeing him without one was horrible. "Do you not want this?" The older man's voice was soft as he asked, sounding a little panicked himself.

Immediately, Bobby reached up with his free hand and took Jonas' jaw in his hand, pulling the other man so that their eyes would meet. "I want this," he reassured the goalie, his voice soft. "I'm just…" he took another deep breath, looking away. "I'm scared," he admitted, his voice barely audible. 

Jonas nodded slowly, leaning in to kiss Bobby's nose. "I'm not going to ask what happened with Getzy and everything else," he murmured. When Bobby was about to speak, Jonas just shushed him. "I'm not going to push you into anything, chungel. I just want to be with you, any way that you will let me."

"Thank you," Bobby murmured, tilting his head to kiss Jonas lightly. Jonas smiled after the kiss, nuzzling his nose against Bobby's before wrapping an arm around the other man. Bobby easily melted into Jonas' side, head resting on his shoulder. It wasn't long until he felt the effects of a hard-fought game and was dozing off against the other man's shoulder. In his half-asleep state, he missed Jonas' whispered words.

_"Ech ha di gärn."_

-

It's early, too early, on Christmas morning when Bobby was stirred from his sleep by the smell of food. He groaned, reaching out next to him only to find an empty space instead of the warm body that had previously been there. Bobby let out a sigh, rubbing at his eyes and trying to sit up. His body didn't want to move; he was way too comfortable burrowed beneath the blankets. He was snapped out of the early morning fog when he heard a soft voice from the doorway of the bedroom. 

"Well look who's up," Jonas smiled. Bobby took in the sight in front of him. The goalie stood there, glasses perched on his nose and sweatpants low on his hips, chest covered only by a tacky Christmas apron. His curly hair was all over the place, and Bobby spotted a smear of something - batter, he guessed, glancing down at the tray that Jonas held - on his left cheek. He felt his heart swell at the sight in front of him, and chewed on the inside of his cheek. Yep, he was screwed.

"Barely," Bobby groaned again, voice thick with sleep as he struggled to sit up. "What is it, like, 5 in the morning?" 

Jonas laughed as he walked into the room, carefully so as not to spill anything that was on his tray. "Nine. I let you sleep in." Bobby made a face at that, but didn't respond, too intrigued by the array of food in front of him. After living by himself, Jonas would take any excuse to cook. It was one of the reasons that Bobby enjoyed staying over at Jonas' more often. In the two weeks since Bobby had come to the realization that they were dating, he'd become a near permanent fixture at the goalie's home. It was easy to be around Jonas, with his infectious smile and his affectionate nature. Because of this, Bobby found himself suddenly wanting to spend as much time around the older man as possible. He'd come over the previous night at Jonas' insistence, to celebrate Christmas Eve together. Jonas had cooked a huge meal, full of traditional Swiss food that Bobby couldn't even hope to pronounce correctly. After they had gorged themselves, and cleaned up, Jonas had dragged Bobby into the den. There the tree stood proudly in the corner, twinkling lights the only thing on it . Since it had gone up, Bobby had pressed Jonas about actually putting ornaments up. Jonas had insisted it wait, and apparently that night was the time to actually decorate. He had put Christmas carols on, a mix of English, German, and French, brought out the spiced wine, and together they had gotten to work. Bobby couldn't remember ever having so much fun decorating a tree, at least since he was a child. They laughed, sang, and Bobby made Jonas explain the story behind each and every ornament. They felt like a real, honest-to-God, couple, and Bobby found himself much more comfortable with it. Just like he'd slowly come to the realization they were dating, he was slowly coming to figure things out about his feelings toward the other man.

"Stop thinking, your eggs are getting cold," Jonas prodded, bringing Bobby abruptly out of his reminiscing. Bobby flushed, settling in so that he could pick up one of the forks and dig in. Their plates were heaping with food, eggs and bacon and fruit and… wait. 

"Are there _sprinkles_ in the pancakes?" Bobby asked, eyes wide as he cut into his stack of pancakes and noticed green and red spots.

Jonas shrugged, letting out a laugh that had him throwing his head back. It was one of Bobby's favorite sights in the world. "Well, you know, I figured since we didn't bake any cookies…." 

"Have I told you lately just how much of a nut you are," Bobby asked, happily tearing into the pancakes. Jonas was able to make him feel like a kid again. No one else had that same effect on him, especially no one that he'd ever dated. 

"I believe it's been at least twelve hours since you have, chungel," Jonas smiled, reaching over to fondly ruffle Bobby's hair. "I was starting to go through withdrawals." 

"I'm glad I could fix that, then," Bobby replied with a grin. "My Christmas gift to you." He winked, laughing when Jonas rolled his eyes. 

They continued to eat, alternating between silence and mocking each other. Bobby reluctantly pulled himself out of bed to help Jonas clean up, tugging his own sweatpants up when they started to sink down too far. When the cleaning was finished, Bobby pulled Jonas into the shower with him. He pressed lazy kisses over Jonas' shoulder, content for the moment to just be in the other man's arms. His eyes fell closed as Jonas worked his hands into Bobby's hair, working the shampoo in. 

"No falling back asleep," Jonas laughed softly when Bobby let out a low sound of content. Bobby just purred as Jonas continued to massage his scalp before pulling him back under the hot water, rinsing out the suds. "Feel good?" He asked lightly, scratching a little with his blunt nails.

"Mmmhmmm," Bobby sighed, opening his eyes and smiling up at Jonas. He pressed a kiss to the other man's chin before taking the shampoo, returning the favor. He worked his fingers through Jonas' hair, smiling when he was able to bring soft sighs out of the older man. Bobby took his time, making sure every last strand was properly cleaned, massaging Jonas' scalp all the while. The goalie was a sighing, quivering, melting mess under his hands, so Bobby decided to take it one step further. Once he was satisfied that all the shampoo had been rinsed from his hair, he picked up a washcloth. He made sure there was plenty of soap on it, and then began working it over the other man's skin. He took his time washing every square inch that he could reach. 

"God, Bobby," Jonas sighed, leaning his head back as he shuddered under Bobby's touch.

"Mmm, just you wait," Bobby grinned up at his lover. He waited until Jonas met his eyes again, and then slid down to his knees in front of Jonas. He wrapped his lips around the head of Jonas' dick, sucking for a few seconds before licking along the skin, working to bring the other man to his complete hardness. It didn't take long; Jonas was already worked up from what Bobby had been previously doing. 

The other man reached down, tangling his hand loosely into Bobby's hair. Bobby smiled up at the goalie, taking him slowly into his mouth. Each moan from Jonas sent a shiver down his spine, and encouraged him on. He loved doing this for Jonas, loved the way he tasted and the look on the other man's face. He could never get enough of it. He moved over Jonas smoothly a few times, his pace slow but focused. He then reached back and squeezed Jonas' ass, opening his throat as much as he could. Bobby encouraged Jonas to fuck his mouth, and Jonas took him up on the offer. It was a slow, almost lazy, movement, and Bobby loved it. Judging by the sounds that Jonas was making, and the mixed languages he was murmuring in, the other man was enjoying it as well. He was in no hurry, and mornings like that, there was little he loved more than a lazy blowjob or fuck to start the day.

When Bobby could sense that Jonas was close, he slid one of his hands down further. Slowly, he slid a finger inside of the other man, drawing a sharp cry of pleasure out of him. He smirked around Jonas' cock, which caused Jonas to let out another short moan. He knew just the look to give Jonas that made him weak in the knees, especially combined with what his mouth and finger were currently doing. He curled his finger inside of Jonas until he found that spot that had Jonas hissing his name and coming hard into his mouth. Bobby eagerly swallowed it all, then leaned back, licking his swollen lips. "God, I love your mouth," Jonas laughed hoarsely, pulling Bobby to stand in front of him. Bobby just laughed, pressing kisses over Jonas' jaw. He groaned when he felt the other man's hand wrap around his own hardness, slowly jerking him off. Despite the lazy pace, Bobby wasn't able to last very long. It wasn't long until he was moaning Jonas' name, coming all over his chest. 

"And I love your big hands," Bobby teased, causing Jonas to laugh loudly. They finished cleaning up before finally stepping out of the shower and heading downstairs. 

Even though he'd been downstairs to help Jonas clean the kitchen, Bobby was still startled by the pile of gifts under the tree and the two stockings hanging on the mantle. He had placed his gifts for Jonas under the tree the previous night, but there had only been one or two under there before. Now, there had to be at least 10 gifts. "Babe, what is all this?" Bobby asked softly, walking over to the two stockings and running his finger along them.

"Santa must have come!" Jonas said, his face bright and his eyes twinkling. The sheer childlike joy on Jonas' face made Bobby's heart jump to his throat. He swallowed thickly, trying to ignore just how that expression made him feel. Jonas walked over to Bobby, wrapping his arms around him from behind. He rested his chin on Bobby's shoulder, watching as Bobby just stroked the fabric. "It's nothing big," he murmured after a few seconds. "I just… wanted to do a little something special. My first Christmas in my new house, our first Christmas together."

Bobby swallowed the lump that was in his throat. No one had ever done anything like this for him before. Last Christmas, all he and Ryan had exchanged was sex. This was light years beyond that. This year, there were gifts, there were stockings… and there was actually a promise of next year. He wasn't entirely sure how to react to it all. Instead, he remained silent, leaning back against Jonas. He watched as Jonas reached into Bobby's stocking, pulling out a simple silver chain. He leaned back just enough that he could put the chain around Bobby's neck, fingers very lightly brushing the skin. "Ech ha de gärn, Bobby," he whispered into his lover's ear. Bobby felt his heart stop. He didn't speak the same language that Jonas did, but he could feel the meaning. It didn't scare him as much as he thought it would, and maybe that was because the words weren't in English. Maybe it was because of everything that had happened in the past day and a half. Maybe he just… understood. Whatever the reason, Bobby found himself turning around in Jonas' arms. He reached up, dragging his thumb along Jonas' jaw. 

"I love you, too," Bobby said softly. The way that Jonas' face lit up made Bobby's chest swell. Despite the gifts under the tree, Bobby knew that this moment would be the one that he treasured most.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in case you're curious, the german that i used in this story is not traditional german. it's a swiss-german dialect.


End file.
